{
  "id": 18405701,
  "title": "‘Closer cooperation between New Delhi and Colombo needed to prevent weapons smuggling by fishing boats’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/closer-cooperation-between-new-delhi-and-colombo-needed-to-prevent",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-05T23:45:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Island Sri Lanka",
    "slug": "the-island-sri-lanka",
    "url": "http://island.lk/closer-cooperation-between-new-delhi-and-colombo-needed-to-prevent-weapons-smuggling-by-fishing-boats/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Admiral (Prof.) Jayanath Colombage (Retd.) urged for increased maritime surveillance and stronger cooperation between Colombo and New Delhi to thwart potential weapon and narcotics smuggling via fishing boats. His warning followed a presentation at an Ambassadors' Round Table hosted by the Pathfinder Foundation at The Colombo Club, Taj Samudra. Colombage referenced the 2008 Mumbai attacks, where gunmen commandeered the Indian trawler 'Kuber' and navigated it to the city by sea, underscoring the dangers of unmonitored maritime traffic. The attackers, originating from Pakistan, caused the city to grind to a halt for nearly three days, a reminder of the potential for similar incidents to recur without robust security measures. Colombage emphasized the need for both nations to prevent unauthorized vessels from breaching their maritime boundaries. Bernard Goonetilleke, Pathfinder Foundation chairman and former ambassador, suggested exploring the potential of Kachchativu Island, which is primarily utilized during the annual St. Anthony’s Church feast. He advocated for evaluating ways to capitalize on the island's resources, including opening it to investment, while adhering to legal frameworks and environmental regulations. Goonetilleke also proposed conducting a feasibility study to establish a fisheries research center on the island, aiming to monitor marine resources and contribute to conservation efforts. The Pathfinder Foundation's proposal included a maritime boundary agreement signed in 1974 between then Prime Ministers Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka and Indira Gandhi of India.",
  "summary": "By Hiran H. Senewiratne Fishing boats could be exploited to smuggle weapons and narcotics. Such possibilities call for stronger maritime surveillance and closer cooperation between Colombo and New Delhi, Admiral (Prof.) Jayanath Colombage (Retd.) said. ‘The November 2008 Mumbai attacks where gunmen hijacked the Indian trawler ‘Kuber’ and used it to reach the city by […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}